Accreditation Review Commission On Education For The Physician Assistant Research Articles

Physician Assistant Program Accreditation Analysis and Survey of Program Directors.

To inform physician assistant program directors through citation analysis after implementation of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Accreditation Standards, 5th edition. This research used descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and the coefficient of determination to analyze the citations reported by ARC-PA during January 2021 to February 2023. Concurrent first-time taker Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE) results were used to determine whether a correlation exists between pass rates and citations. In addition, a survey was sent to each institution's current program director to investigate leadership concerns and differences between programs placed on a provisional, continued, or probation status by ARC-PA. Of the 98 program submissions for accreditation, 13 submissions resulted in a probation status outcome. For these 13 programs placed on probation, 46.2% and 30.8% were cited for being noncompliant with leadership Standards A2.09 and A1.02, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis indicates a significant negative correlation between ARC-PA citations and first-time taker PANCE pass rates ( P = .023, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [-0.49 to -0.04]). This is particularly true for programs with continued accreditation ( P = .007, 95% CI = [-0.67 to -0.13]) and programs that performed below the 85% benchmark ( P = .013, 95% CI = [-0.94 to -0.22]) for first-time taker PANCE pass rates. Although a negative correlation is observed between the number of levied citations and PANCE pass rates, the coefficient of determination does not indicate that the number of citations can predict PANCE pass rates ( R2 = 0.0368). Regarding survey data, 42.86% of programs placed on probation cited institutional support as their biggest program weakness or threat. Conversely, 22.22% of programs with provisional status and 12.5% of programs with continued status reported institutional support as their biggest weakness or threat. This research identifies leadership as a deficit of concern associated with programs placed on probation. In addition, a significant negative correlation exists between the number of citations and first-time taker PANCE pass rates-especially for programs with first-time taker PANCE pass rates below 85% or for programs with continued accreditation status.

Methodology Applied by a Physician Assistant Program to Evaluate the New ARC-PA 5 th Edition Diversity and Inclusion Standard.

Diversity and inclusion in higher education are a top priority for institutions. In 2020, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), in its 5 th edition of the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education, implemented a standard specifically designed to require programs to demonstrate their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Through a protocol-driven methodology, consistent with the ARC-PA's 4 key elements of analysis, one PA program demonstrates and explains how it examines ongoing compliance with diversity and inclusion within their program.

Utilization of pharmacists in physician assistant didactic curricula in the United States

IntroductionThe primary objective was to describe the percentage of physician assistant (PA) programs who utilize pharmacists to lecture on pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics content. Secondary objectives were to describe the percentage of pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics lectures pharmacists deliver, the percentage of programs who employ a full-time pharmacist to coordinate the Pharmacology/Pharmacotherapeutics courses, and the inclusion of pharmacists in other courses in the curricula. MethodsThis was a prospective, cross-sectional, cohort survey. All PA programs listed on the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) website with an available email address for the Director of Pre-Clinical Education/Didactic Education, Academic Coordinator, or Chair/Director were recruited for the study. A link to an online survey was distributed to each program. The survey collected data on program characteristics as well as utilization of pharmacists in the curriculum. Descriptive statistics were used for all analyses. ResultsOf the 187 programs receiving the survey, 66 completed the survey (35%). Eighty-three percent of programs reported that pharmacists were utilized to deliver pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics content. For those programs who utilize pharmacists, 80% reported pharmacists teach more than 75% of the lectures. Twenty-three (35%) programs reported having a full-time pharmacist on faculty to coordinate these courses. Almost half of respondents also commented that pharmacists were involved in other courses in the curriculum. ConclusionsMore than 80% of programs responding to the survey utilize pharmacists to deliver pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics content. Studying the utilization of pharmacists and their impact in other health sciences curricula is warranted.

Accreditation 101: Develop, Assess, and Report Program Goals.

The aim of this article is to highlight the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) accreditation requirements for PA program goals, describe methods for writing effective goals, provide examples and analysis of hypothetical goals, and encourage the use of effective reporting strategies. Programs are encouraged to use one of 3 mnemonic conventions with each providing a useful framework for identifying key elements of goals: FAST, SMART, and Objectives and Key Results. These 3 acronyms are easy to remember and will yield goals that are consistent with the requirements of ARC-PA.

Citation and Characteristic Analysis of Physician Assistant Programs Placed on Accreditation-Probation, 2015-2017.

The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) is responsible for accrediting the current 236 entry-level physician assistant (PA) programs in the United States. This study analyzes citations levied against PA programs by the ARC-PA and how those citations relate to the commission's ultimate accreditation decisions; in addition, this study compares PA program characteristics and assesses those characteristics as they relate to recent accreditation outcomes. This study used citations for specific violations of ARC-PA Standards to analyze the ARC-PA's accreditation decisions from September 2015 through September 2017. The institutional characteristics of programs that received an accreditation-probation decision were compared with those that received an accreditation-continued or accreditation-provisional decision. Where possible, outcome decisions were benchmarked using national data obtained from publications distributed by the Physician Assistant Education Association. On average, programs that were placed on accreditation-probation during the time frame of this study had received their initial accreditation 16 years before being placed on probation. Altogether, 393 citations were levied against those programs (range: 2-60 citations; median: 13.5 citations). Physician assistant programs that were awarded provisional or continued accreditation were cited for slightly different Standards violations than PA programs that were placed on probation. The average 5-year pass rate for students taking the Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination for the first time was not very different for students from PA programs that were placed on probation and all other programs. Faculty members, institutions, and entities that support PA program development can use this information to compare PA programs. The results of this study can help PA programs identify areas of frequent noncompliance with the ARC-PA's Standards; provide context that PA programs can use to assess their performance against other programs in the accreditation process; and help PA programs identify areas in need of priority attention nationwide.

An Analysis of Physician Assistant LibGuides: A Tool for Collection Development

ABSTRACTThe Physician Assistant (PA) specialty encompasses many subject areas and requires many types of library resources. An analysis of PA LibGuides was performed to determine most frequently recommended resources. A sample of LibGuides from U.S. institutions accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) was included in this study. Resources presented on guides were tabulated and organized by resource type. Databases and point-of-care tools were the types of resources listed by the most LibGuides. There were over 1,000 books listed on the 45 guides, including over 600 unique books listed. There were fewer journals listed, only 163. Overall, while the 45 LibGuides evaluated list many unique resources in each category, a librarian can create an accepted list of the most frequently listed resources from the data gathered.

Investigational Overview of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences.

While the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) provides standards, there is variation allowed in design and implementation of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs). Limited research has assessed for a correlation between SCPE design and program outcomes, including PANCE "First-Time Taker Pass Rate." The objective of this research is to evaluate for trends and best practices in clinical education design, as well as any correlation to PANCE pass rate. Data were gathered through an online survey with 14 multiple-choice questions referring to "core" clinical rotations and then anonymously tabulated. Participants were identified by ARC-PA's listing of PA programs as of May 2014, excluding those programs with "Accreditation-Provisional" or "Accreditation-Probation" statuses. Contact was initiated with one faculty member at each program. A post hoc analysis was performed to evaluate for correlations between SCPE design and PANCE pass rates. Our research quantifies variation in many aspects of the administration and design of the clinical education curriculum. During post hoc analysis, the groups were divided into "above average" and "average or below" in relation to PANCE pass rates compared with the national average, with several significant differences identified. These differences include the average length of rotation, programs that require a minimum end-of-rotation passing score, and programs that require a minimum score on the preceptor evaluation. This research demonstrated many viable options and approaches to various components of clinical education, as well as some correlations between supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) design and PANCE first-time taker pass rates.

Is Professionalism Important in Physician Assistant Education?

Purpose: This study was designed to demonstrate the importance of a formal professionalism curriculum in physician assistant (PA) education. The PA concept arose from the medical profession, and PA education was designed to follow the medical model of education. Courses have been mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to include professionalism. Just as in the curriculum in medical schools, PA educators have been allowed to create their own professionalism curricula. The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) have mandated that professionalism and ethics must be included in PA education. To address this need, a professionalism curriculum for first year PA students was created that combined standards of professionalism that are taught in medical school with those from the PA profession. Method: Sixty-four students enrolled in their first year of a master’s degree PA program were asked to voluntarily participate in a two-part survey to assess their knowledge of professionalism. The initial survey was administered prior to any formal education in professionalism. The same survey was repeated following the completion of the professionalism curriculum. The design of the survey was cross sectional and consisted of close ended questions. A Likert scale was utilized for responses, allowing for statistical analysis and comparison. Results: Sixty-three of 64 students completed both surveys. Results did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in knowledge of professionalism. Student evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, as was their participation in group discussions. Conclusions: Professionalism did not significantly improve. The lack of statistical significance may have referred to the lack of reliability in the findings but did not indicate the curriculum was effective or ineffective. It may have been wiser to continue professionalism education throughout the didactic year, incorporating case studies and simulation exercises.

Attitudes Toward Academic Dishonesty in Physician Assistant Students.

The purpose of this study was to assess physician assistant (PA) students' attitudes and experiences toward academic dishonesty during training and to determine whether PA students self-report cheating during PA school. An anonymous, quantitative, exploratory, descriptive survey was sent to clinical-year PA students enrolled in PA programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). A sample of 493 self-selected PA students in their clinical year of training responded to the survey. Only 3% of clinical-year PA students self-reported cheating during PA school. Males self-reported significantly higher rates of cheating in PA school than females. The most common cheating behavior that clinical-year PA students reported either observing or hearing about in PA school was receiving information about an exam prior to its administration (70.9%). The attitudinal statement that respondents most strongly agreed with was that "cheaters in PA school just end up hurting themselves in the long run." The strongest predictor for cheating in PA school was a history of cheating as an undergraduate. This study confirmed previous research indicating that academic dishonesty exists in PA education. It also determined that clinical-year PA student attitudes toward and experiences with academic dishonesty vary.

Student mental health implications for physician assistant education.

This report examines student mental health and learning disabilities along the continuum from childhood to college by examining diagnosing and prescribing patterns and potential implications for physician assistant (PA) faculty based on the Standards of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) and the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, Section 2, Specific Learning Disorders). We reviewed existing data to compare decades of national patterns in diagnosing and prescribing for conditions that have known comorbidities with learning disabilities. By including quantitative and qualitative data from children, adolescents, undergraduate college students, and veterans, we illustrate the potential impact these patterns could have on some current and future applicants to PA educational programs and the requirements for PA faculty to address these needs. Multiple national data sources revealed increasing numbers of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), psychoactive prescriptions written for those under age 18, and self-reported increases in multiple psychological disorders among college students. More recent evidence shows a twofold increase in military veterans returning to college with posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and depression. The growing numbers of students with conditions described in this report requires academic faculty to be aware of requirements to recognize and address their mental health service needs. PA educators could benefit from supplemental faculty development activities to help prepare them to recognize the pipeline patterns of a growing percentage of postsecondary students with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

Postgraduate Clinical Education of Physician Assistants

Physician assistant (PA) postgraduate clinical training programs have existed since 1971. There are anecdotal reports of increasing numbers of programs available in the United States, although a reliable means of identifying and tracking such programs has not been available. The purpose of this study was to describe the current state of postgraduate, clinical educational programs for PAs based on defined criteria for study inclusion and to propose the use of these criteria for use by future investigators to determine trends in program development. All programs potentially meeting the study criteria for postgraduate PA clinical programs, including programs actively enrolling PAs and that provide didactic and clinical instruction of 6 or more months duration, were contacted to participate in an online survey. A total of 49 programs (42 nonmilitary) programs were included with 22 nonmilitary programs opening for enrollment in or after 2008. Most programs enrolled one or two PAs annually. All respondents of nonmilitary programs indicated that a certificate of completion was provided and no academic credit or degree was offered. A variety of didactic and clinical instructional methods were used. Most sites also provided clinical rotations for PA students, and many required PA residents to participate in student teaching. Although few programs have been accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), most programs are pursuing, or plan to apply for, accreditation. The results of this survey provide an up-to-date report on the status of PA postgraduate clinical training programs. The investigators recommend future studies use the same criteria for inclusion to establish future trends in program development.

A Novel Approach to Ranking Physician Assistant Programs

US News & World Report (US News) is the only known media publication that ranks physician assistant (PA) educational programs. In 2007 US News ranked only 73 schools based on a subjective survey of PA school faculty and administration. This study presents a new approach to the ranking of graduate PA programs. The 73 PA schools included in the 2007 US News ranking were ranked based on each school's current Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) accreditation length, student-to-faculty ratio, percentage of faculty with doctoral degrees, and the most recent 5-year average Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination (PANCE) pass rates. The top three ranked schools were, in order, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Oregon Health & Science University, and the University of Iowa. There was a weak-positive relationship between the standardized rankings and scores and rankings by US News (r = 0.40, r = 0.41, respectively). This novel approach to ranking of PA programs provides a basis for improving the methods of future rankings.

Incorporation of the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession into Physician Assistant Education

INTRODUCTION In March 2006, the four national physician assistant (PA) organizations — the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), and the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) — distributed the Competencies for the Physician Assistant Profession (Competencies), which had been jointly developed by the four organizations.1,2 These organizations recognized the need for ongoing competency among PAs (as among all health care providers) and were responding, in part, to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, which described the frequency of medical errors.2 The PA profession demonstrates ongoing competency via the NCCPA certification and recertification processes. The Competencies function as a comprehensive document that successfully responds to the needs of patients, consumer advocacy groups, and health care organizations, while preserving the philosophy of the PA profession.1 The Competencies include six domains (medical knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills, patient care, professionalism, practice-based learning and improvement, and systems-based practice) and each domain includes several objectives (eg, the domain patient care includes the objective, “Counsel and educate patients and their families”). The document describes key components of competency, including “technical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of Alison Essary, MHPE, PA-C, is assistant professor and associate director and James Stoehr, PhD, is a professor in the Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program, Glendale, Arizona.

Evaluation of Student Confidence in Utilizing EBM Skills Following Completion of an EBM Curriculum

INTRODUCTION The principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM) are built around a framework that is patient-focused, requiring a combination of healthcare provider expertise and relevant supporting evidence from the medical literature, considered within the context of patient preferences.1,2 An EBM course is a necessary educational component of physician assistant (PA) training and practice. Utilization of EBM skills may equip the clinical provider with a foundation for maintaining professional competency by enhancing the ability to maintain a current patient care knowledge base. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) requires that PA programs teach EBM.3 A variety of different approaches to the design of the EBM curriculum have been described.4-7 In cited literature, the EBM curriculum may include both written and oral student projects consisting of a manuscript or an oral presentation of research findings. Evaluation of the effectiveness with which EBM is taught and applied can be difficult. Ultimately, the desired outcome of EBM is improved patient care, but it is difficult to correlate patient outcomes to specific curriculum items. However, within the academic realm, correlating measures of student confidence in performing elements of EBM with EBM course objectives may provide some insight into the effectiveness of the curriculum.

Evaluating Clinical Sites: Meeting the ARC-PA Accreditation Standards

INTRODUCTION Clinical rotations are an integral component of physician assistant (PA) education. During clinical rotations, students build on the knowledge gained during the didactic phase of their education and practice newly acquired skills in patient care settings. While in their clinical rotations, students are evaluated by preceptors and faculty to ensure that they are progressing toward the development of clinical competencies. The Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education, third edition,1 published by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) require both the evaluation of students in the clinical setting and the evaluation of the actual clinical sites. The clinical sites and preceptors who mentor our students are essential to the students becoming competent PAs. It is the responsibility of every PA program to ensure that clinical sites and preceptors are meeting student learning needs and program expectations. This article will review the specific standards that address clinical site evaluation and discuss the tools used by the Duke University Physician Assistant Program to comply with those standards.

Wellness in a Physician Assistant Curriculum: An Experiential Model

INTRODUCTION Health and wellness promotion and disease prevention are goals that are often included in expert committee recommendations for the improvement of health care delivery and health professional education.1 The challenge for physician assistant (PA) education has been to incorporate these goals into an already intense curriculum with students who are frequently overwhelmed by the volume and scope of program requirements. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an experiential wellness project on the perceived wellness of first-year PA students utilizing self-selected, common lifestyle interventions. The competencies for the PA profession developed jointly by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA), the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA, formerly APAP), and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) include specific objectives promoting wellness and patient education to maintain health and prevent disease.1 Healthy People 2010 advocates the inclusion of competencies in health promotion and disease prevention in health professional training school curricula.2 The General Professional Education of the Physician Report identifies the importance of lifestyle in determining health and wellness and recommends that medical school curricula emphasize health promotion and disease prevention as well as the development of values that engender concern for individuals and society.3 PA education has incorporated these goals. A survey of 108 PA programs by Perkin et al found that more than 90% of responding programs includJohn Laird, ND, is assistant professor; Susan Hawkins, MSEd, PA-C, is assistant professor and interim program director; Mark Hertweck, MA, PA-C, is assistant professor; and Brenda Swanson-Biearman, MPH, RN, is assistant professor in the Chatham College PA Program, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Consistency of Review of Accreditation Documents by Commissioners of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant

Introduction: The objective of this study was to determine if there is consistency of review of accreditation documents reviewed by commissioners of the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). A written self-study report is required from a program each time it requests continuing accreditation to assess its compliance with the Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education. This report is examined by two commissioner reviewers and presented to the entire commission for discussion and accreditation decision. Method: Two self-study reports were created and given to the commissioners for review. Commissioners were asked to determine the programs' compliance with each of the standards, utilizing a check-off sheet. The commissioners' responses were given a numerical score, summed by section, and compared to one another for consistency. Results: There was statistically significant interrater reliability (p < .05) in all sections of the Standards in both programs. Conclusion: There was remarkable consistency of review of the self-study documents among ARC-PA commissioners. With only one exception, the reviewers for each of the sections of the Standards for both Alpha University and Omega College demonstrated statistically significant intraclass correlation coefficients. There is preliminary evidence that the degree of compliance with the Standards supports consistency of review.